1000 Paper Swans
by Pozagee
Summary: Yao makes a wish that only his ex-brother, Kiku, can grant. Human names used. Can be seen as either family or romantic relationship.


It is a simple and repetitive motion—difficult at first, but the folds and tucks seemingly become easier over time. And what time it takes: Year after year of sorrow and loneliness goes into those many folds, as they are continuously constructed whenever there is a brief period of free time and nothingness. Sometimes the whole thing feels pointless, as if this is just a huge buildup, a large mountain to climb, with no reward at the end of the exhausting journey. There are times when he—the constructor—briefly considers destroying his hard work; fire often seemed tempting, and how oh-so-appropriate.

The constructor often felt—as he was doing his work—much like a fire; he was so completely filled with overwhelming rage and passion which collided and created such a friction, that it was a wonder he didn't burn where he sat.

'Why do I torture myself like this?' he would ask himself. 'Why do I force myself to relive every pain and suffering of the past with these folds?'

Often, immediately after the self-inquiry, he would answer, 'Because with the bad, there comes the good. The good of my past is what will help me to the good of my future.'

So he folded and folded, tucked and weaved, until he laid back surrounded by his hard work, somehow able to breath easier.

However, the heavy weight on his chest had not fully lifted yet. His work was not finished.

O_.~•*'*•~._.~•*'*•~._.~•*'*•~._O

Kiku started, surprised at the sudden light tapping on his door; he hadn't been expecting visitors. He was always hospitable though, no matter the guest; this time would be no different.

When he opened the door, the first thing (or rather person) he noticed was his ex-brother.

"Yao," he said simply, the emptiness in his voice was biting and cold, the lack of emotion seeming far more painful than any hate-filled remark ever could.

Yao didn't say a word, instead opting to step back. Kiku's eyes briefly darted around him, and the brief glance was enough.

His small yard and garden was littered—no, absolutely filled—with many intricate paper cranes. They're colors were quite varied, though all of them had at least one thing in common: They each had a number written in curling handwriting on their backs.

Kiku's expression didn't change, cepting for the slight widening of his eyes; for Yao to have accomplished that much was—in itself—quite an accomplishment.

When Kiku's eyes went back to Yao yet again, something had changed. The Chinese man was no longer standing ramrod straight with his hands crossed behind his back—now his hands were held in front of him, a deep red swan resting on the palms of them.

A gentle wind blew, a few cherry blossom flowers drifting down to mix with the swans. Something odd also happened, with the swan in Yao's hand. It seemed to soar or swim across the air in between the two men. In an almost trance-like state, Kiku lifted his hands, letting the swan glide into his hands effortlessly.

On it's back, the number "1000" was written.

"I don't understand," Kiku said. His voice didn't shake, but it was far quieter than the norm; it appeared that he was completely out of his element, in this mystical place that used to be familiar to him.

Yao, for the first time since he had arrived, spoke. "It is a Japanese tradition, isn't it?"

"Of one thousand swans?" Yao nodded. Kiku looked a bit unsure.

"You fold one thousand swans, and then you get to make one wish," Yao said. Kiku was familiar, of course, with the legend. But he didn't understand why Yao was presenting the swans to him.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. Why are you doing this?" He waved a thin hand at the world around him.

In a swift, yet gentle movement, Kiku's hand was claimed.

"My wish...I wish for you."

O_.~•*'*•~._.~•*'*•~._.~•*'*•~._O

**_A/N This can be taken however you like it. XD Anyway, for the people who are following me for my Hetalia stuff, YES I AM ALIVE! XD And for those of you who haven't ran into me before, welcome!_**

**_Edit: I tried posting this yesterday, but seeing that none of my followers recieved the email, I deleted it. And then everyone got the emails for my updates at 6 am (ugh). So sorry for the confusion!_**

**_Thanks for reading! Please drop a review!_**


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